withing Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 It's been about a week(?) since my doctor put me on Welbutrin, and while there hasn't been any serious side effects I've noticed one thing... I can't concentrate worth beans! That's not helping my grades at all. I've been on this cocktail before, but I don't remember feeling this way (well, I kinda do, but I was also taking copious amounts of Motrin too, and I've recently found out that Ibuprofen makes me all wacky too). Anyway, I just can't concentrate on the PI sheets to see if the welbrutrin is causing this (I'm assuming it is), because I have two midterms this week and a paper to write. So could someone tell me that it's going to go away so I don't obsess about it? Right now I'm hanging on by a thread because I have two instructors who just won't work with me no matter what I say about med changes, and I'm two steps away from a downward spiral (if I fail this test/bomb this paper, I'll fail the class, lose my scholarship, not get my degree, fail my goal to be a teacher, never get another job, fail at life, etc...) I'm trying not to head there. So this lack of attention and concentration... It's the welbutrin? and it's temporary? (meds and current doses in my sig) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 1) try not to do the chain of events list. you know what I mean..one exam does not automatically equal never teaching, getting a job and failing at life. god, that's a LOT of pressure you're putting on yourself, please try to not base your entire life on one or two events-- one test is not the end of you. period. 2) talk to the pdoc, of course-- but you knew that. I wonder if you could go down to 150mg XL for a while so you're still taking it and keeping it in your system but have some time to adjust before going back up to 300mg? you'd probably see a pretty dramatic change in the amount of side-effects by lowering the dosage but wouldn't be keeping your treatment from moving forward. 3) I know you've heard this ad nauseum but try to take things one at a time-- break the studying up into smaller chunks of information rather than looking at all of your notes at once because of course you won't be able to focus unless you narrow it down. flip through your notes and make a list of the things that don't ring a bell or you're not semi-confidant on and work through those first, then go through and review the ones your recognize and then you won't waste time studying things you know already (which is MUCH MORE than I'm sure you give yourself credit for). same thing for the paper-- one topic/paragraph at a time, make an outline and then you don't have to worry about specific wording, which I know I get caught up in. sometimes writing by hand is better because you tend to censor yourself less than on the computer where it's so easy to backspace and delete. goodluck path, complain all you want (as long as you are still giving yourself time to work.), talk to your pdoc asap and see what they think your options are-- I'd really ask about lowering it during this stressful time considering the side-effects. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
null0trooper Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I have two midterms this week and a paper to write. This is my Number One suspect, along with maybe just a bit over overstress, overstudying, and putting off taking care of yourself until after midterms, papers, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
withing Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 I have two midterms this week and a paper to write. This is my Number One suspect, along with maybe just a bit over overstress, overstudying, and putting off taking care of yourself until after midterms, papers, etc. Heh - well one mid-term down (Spanish and totally bombed it), and one to go (Chaucer and I have a good feeling about it). I talked with my other instructor today and laid it on the line for him that I'm really skating on thin ice and asked and got a one week extension on my paper. So that's a relief. Now I can concentrate on Chaucer. I'll worry about the paper this weekend (really! I will!). I still have the *other* class to study for because I have a test next week, but this isn't the college forum, is it??? *sigh* I have an appointment with my tdoc on Thursday, but I can't afford an appointment with the pdoc (it's $45 a pop just to talk to him for five minutes). I'm not sure why he started me on 300mg. Maybe it's because I've taken it before? I dunno. Anyway, if it's not the Welbutrin, it could be all of the studying except that I wasn't quite this flighty these past semesters... was I? I can't really remember. Okay. I have to get back to Chaucer. thanks for listening to me ramble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Well I'm glad you seem to be getting through it, even if it sucks-- that's great that you were able to get some leeway with the one prof.-- is it possible to call into the pdoc and just leave a message saying that the side effects are too much and you wondered if you could go to a lower dosage until you see him? he could just call it in, sometimes they do that if it's a really simple request. anyway, calling the receptionist/nurse is worth a shot if you think it might help. my pdoc when I'm at school is $100 a pop (my intake was $225 and lasted..count'em..8min.), I swear the guy dips into adderall samples. quack. anyway, I know what it's like to not be able to afford appointments, but I was able to switch from focalin hell (failed my first midterm ever--could not think at all, cotton-brain in a class I love) to adderall and he just had me pick up a rx at the front desk rather than wait and not be able to take anything until my next appt. just a thought. goodluck, sounds like you're keeping your head above water and that's good enough for now- really. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
withing Posted February 26, 2009 Author Share Posted February 26, 2009 My SB (snuggle buddy) mentioned in passing yesterday that I sounded like I was on an upswing - I've given him some of the "warning signs" - and it does seem that I am kinda heading up. No one can understand me when I talk, I've been spending a little more than usual, and, yeah, the lack of attention thing. I'm not quite manic - still sleeping at night, not cleaning like a fiend (though my room is *very* neat right now, but that could be study avoidance), and not looking at guys like I'm in heat - so I'm not going to hit the panic button yet. I understand that AD's can cause mania in bipolar people, so I guess I should watch out for that? Even though I'm taking two meds for mania? ugh! I can't think! I'll talk to my tdoc tomorrow and see if I can get her to have the pdoc write me a new script for a lower dosage of Welbutrin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 I understand that AD's can cause mania in bipolar people, so I guess I should watch out for that? Even though I'm taking two meds for mania? ugh! I can't think! I'll talk to my tdoc tomorrow and see if I can get her to have the pdoc write me a new script for a lower dosage of Welbutrin. - I'm under the impression that BPers should *always* watch out for swings crappy but true-- especially during med changes, especially during AD changes. - kudos to the SB. good to have someone on your team, remember to not rationalize behaviors that he picks up on..you told him to have an eye out for a reason, after all. - I'm still for the lower dosage WB XL - get thee some 150s even if you can't see the pdoc face to face. if this gets bad (knockonwood) and you need to stop taking WB then you'll need them to taper down anyway, so get them sooner rather than later (imo. sorry, I feel bossy.) m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scatty Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Every time I take wellbutrin I have to be careful because it tends to make me manic after a few months. I tend to use it to come out of a bad depression, and then discontinue it before I start cycling like crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
withing Posted February 27, 2009 Author Share Posted February 27, 2009 I saw my tdoc today, and she doesn't seem to think I'm hypo. She suggested a "wait and see" approach, and suggested that the stress of midterms and papers was probably what my SB was picking up on. I have another appointment with her in a couple of weeks. I think she may be right because I'm *a lot* calmer today (after the last mid term) than I have been all week. I still have that paper to write, and I'll get on that momentarily. It is good that my SB is keeping an eye out, and I feel a little guilty because I've kind of been clinging to him lately. I kinda warned him about the med change and that there might be some moody side effects so he may have expected it. However I noticed today that I've been coming around to see him nearly every day, when before I hung out with him about three days a week. I don't want to be too clingy... But this isn't the relationships board is it??? sigh... Anyway, I'll keep a watch to see if my mood goes up again. The curse of a rapid cycler is that I don't know if it's the meds, the stress, or just me cycling... and yes, my cycles can be as short as a few days or as long as a few months. I have never been manic/depressed for longer than six months, but I had cycles as short as a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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